The Legalization of Marijuana and the Blind Eye the Obama Administration Has Turned Regarding It

It's sad to realize that in this administration of supposed "change," there hasn't been talk at all of the one issue on people's minds: the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana. On Change.org, the idea won a total of about 15,000 votes with 4,000 added on from the subject "End the War on Drugs." On Change.gov, the idea has around 70,000 points and is the current leader of BOTH websites in votes. After the voting was over on Change.org, the results were randomized for some odd reason. Marijuana was the #1 pick of the people, but it lost its chance to be recognized as that #1 pick due to the randomization of the top 10 ideas submitted to the Obama administration. As well, no mention of marijuana legalization can be found on either the front page of Change.org or the front page of Change.gov. Fishy.  

It seems odd that the administration would either ignore or be opposed to such an idea without giving any specific evidence as to the problems associated with legalizing marijuana. There are plenty of good reasons:  

Over 800,000 non-violent prisoners incarcerated for smoking a joint, for instance, would be gradually pardoned. The cost of keeping those people in jail would obviously go down with their departure. Also, by avoiding jail in the first place, those people have less of a chance to meet criminals, have a permanent mark on their record and sadly turn to a life of crime.  

Hemp can be used for a variety of things: textiles, biofuel... even FOOD. Hemp could increase our exports, due to the fact that no one besides Amsterdam has even considered legalizing marijuana. We'd have a leg up on the countries around us, and after the hemp boom, we'd come out with some serious economic gains.  

Marijuana is still thought to be one of the best drugs for patients undergoing chemotherapy. Not only that, but other diseases as well whose medicines might cause all sorts of nasty side-effects. Cannabis has been recommended by several doctors as a drug that reduces pain and nausea.  

The government's good at taxing products. Why not marijuana? Raise the tax on marijuana to around the tax for tobacco. The government is poised to make some serious money from such an economic plan. Furthermore, the government wouldn't have to keep fighting marijuana (as much... there'd obviously still be dying criminal groups desperate to make money off cannabis). Did you know that of the "War on Drugs," marijuana consumes about 4/5 of that time and money?  

All of these reasons and we still haven't heard a peep from the Obama administration. It's as if they're terrified (or worse, indecisive) about the situation.  

We wanted a new government, a government that took the ideas we the people put forth. So far, the Obama administration seems to be doing a remarkably lackluster job, especially by hiring people on its staff that are vehemently opposed to marijuana legalization.  

But maybe I'm just pessimistic. Maybe change will start to form after Obama's inaugurated. All we can do now is cross our fingers...